Continuous sole for sports shoe

Abstract

A continuous outsole for a sports shoe has a profile pattern characterized by a first large circular pattern section at the area of the ball of the foot and a second large circular pattern section at the heel area. Each large circular pattern section has a center point that is disposed substantially on a longitudinal dividing line that extends from an end of the toe portion to an end of the heel portion and divides the outsole into two substantially equal longitudinal areas.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Footwear having a toe portion and a heel and a continuous outsole from said toe portion to said heel portion, said outsole having a profile pattern comprising a first pattern section in the area of the ball of the foot and a second pattern section in the area of the heel of the foot, said first and second pattern sections being respectively characterized by first and second substantially large circular shapes at the ball and heel areas for facilitating rotation of said foot at said ball and heel areas, said first and second large circular shapes having center points disposed substantially on a longitudinal dividing line extending from an end of said toe portion to an end of said heel portion and dividing said outsole into two substantially equal longitudinal areas, and wherein said first large circular shape encompasses the ball area of the foot and at least one small circular shape, said one small circular shape having a center point disposed on one side of the longitudinal dividing line. 
     
     
       2. The footwear claim 1 wherein said first large circular shape encompasses a second small circular shape, said second small circular shape having a center point disposed on the other side of said longitudinal dividing line. 
     
     
       3. The footwear of claim 2 wherein the center of said first large circular shape is substantially at the center of the ball area of said foot, and a metatarsal line intersects said longitudinal dividing line substantially at the center of said first large circular shape and extends substantially at right angles to said longitudinal dividing line, the centers of said first and said second small circular shapes being disposed substantially on said metatarsal line. 
     
     
       4. The footwear of claim 1 wherein the radius of the second substantially large circular shape is approximately 0.2 to one times the radius of curvature of the heel. 
     
     
       5. The footwear of claim 1 wherein said profile pattern further comprises a third pattern section in a metatarsal area between the first and second pattern sections, said third pattern section being characterized by a substantially trapezoidal shaped pattern having profile elements arranged substantially parallel to said longitudinal dividing line. 
     
     
       6. The footwear of claim 1 wherein said profile pattern further includes a toe pattern section formed in the toe portion of said outsole, said toe pattern section comprising a partial crown to the area of the ball of the foot, of distinct profile pattern areas corresponding in number and position to the individual toes. 
     
     
       7. The footwear of claim 1 wherein the first and second large circular shapes comprise disc shaped profile elements. 
     
     
       8. The footwear of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second large circular shapes comprise concentric annular profile elements. 
     
     
       9. The footwear of claim 8 wherein the profile elements of the first and second large circular shapes are formed of broken lines repeated in concentric likenesses. 
     
     
       10. The footwear of claim 3 wherein the first and second small circular shapes comprise disc shaped profile elements. 
     
     
       11. The footwear of claim 3 wherein the first and second small circular comprise concentric annular profile elements. 
     
     
       12. The footwear of claim 11 wherein the profile elements of the first and second small circular shapes are formed of broken lines repeated in concentric likenesses. 
     
     
       13. The footwear of claim 6 wherein the distinct profile pattern areas of said toe pattern section corresponding to the toes each have a separately definable geometric periphery. 
     
     
       14. The footwear of claim 13 wherein the distinct profile pattern areas of said toe pattern section each comprise concentric triangular or trapezoidal shaped profile elements. 
     
     
       15. The footwear of claim 14 wherein the distinct profile elements are formed of broken lines repeated in concentric likenesses. 
     
     
       16. The footwear of claim 1 wherein said second pattern section includes at least one small trapezoidal shaped profile element and at least one small elliptical shaped profile element. 
     
     
       17. The footwear of claim 1 wherein said sole has a peripheral edge and a border strip is provided around said peripheral edge, said border strip including a groove extending around the area of said heel. 
     
     
       18. The footwear of claim 3 wherein the first and second large circular shapes comprise disc shaped profile elements, one of the disc shaped profile elements in the first large circular shape being included in the first small circular shape and another of the disc shaped profile elements in the first large circular shape being included in the second small circular shape.